Paired bag filling machine



March 9, 1954 Q W` VOGT 2,671,588

PAIRED BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed NOV. 18, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l iii/L l 73 :inventor 7'5 82 '7g HJM 7M PM 2 7|9\ 75 Gttorneg -PI March 9, 1954 Q W VQGT PAIRED BAG FILLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1948 March 9, 1954 C, W, VOG-r 2,671,588

PAIRED BAG FILLING MACHINE F'iled Nov. 18. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 562cm Cittornegs Patented Mar. 9, 1,954

UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE PAIRED BAG FILLING MACHINE Clarence W. Vogt, Norwalk, Conn.

Application November 18, 1948, Serial No. 60,694

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for lling and closing bags, and more particularly of the end folded type, connected together in a chain of bag pairs by one or more flexible tapes extending at an angle to each of said bags substantially transversely across the mouths thereof.

Where bag chains of the above type are rolled, the overlapping double thickness bag ends will be superposed upon one side of the roll and the superposed tapes will be on the other side of the roll, and as the respective superposed portions will be substantially of the same thickness, a large quantity of bags may be collected on a single roll.

Unless such bag pairs can be filled with a measured quantity or weight of material, and the bags sealed to form airtight, moisture-proof and waterproof containers and the bags of each of said pairs separated from each other automatically, at a relatively high rate of speed and with a minimum of handling, the cost of packaging is often disproportionate with respect to the cost of the material being packaged. Y

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a bag filling machine which will utilize the connecting tapes on the outer faces respectively of a chain or series of bag pairs of the above type to advance said bags automatically from a source of supply therefor to the bag filling station of the machine without requiring manual manipulation of said bags.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which bag pairs connected in a chain may be advanced through the machine, opened, filled with a measured quantity or weight of material, closed, the paired bags separated and sealed and thereupon delivered from the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type which will utilize a connecting tape joining the bags, for supporting such bags, for cooperating to open the mouths thereof to facilitate rapid filling, and for advancing the bags through the machine so that they may be filled, and the paired bags separated and thereupon sealed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will utilize the connecting tapes on the outer faces of a chain of bag pairs of the above type, which extend at an angle tothe mouths of the bags, to advance said bags automatically, in upright position from a source of supply therefor, `to the bag mouth opening station of the machine, and thereupon remove such tapes and apply them parallel to the mouths of the same bags or other bags of the series, and then utilize such tapes for advancing said bags through the machine so that they may be filled, the mouths of the filled bags closed, the paired bags separated and thereupon sealed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type which is fully automatic in operation, will operate at a relatively high speed, is compact and rugged in construction, functions with a minimum number of operating parts none of which is delicate or apt to become out of order, is capable of continuous operation for long periods without attention, and has its working parts readily accessible for maintenance and repair so that the cost of upkeep is low.

In a preferred embodiment herein chosen to illustrate my invention, a chain of bag pairs is provided, the respective pairs of bags being connected in series by two lengths of tape respectively aiiixed to each of the outer faces of each of the bags and extending at an angle to each of said bags substantially transversely across the mouths thereof, and a machine is provided with a plurality of operating stations which successively act upon the pairs of bags, to open the mouths thereof and thereupon to ll the bags, to close the mouths of the filled bags to separate the paired bags from each other, and thereupon to seal the bags and eject them from the machine.

Desirably means are provided to effect continuous movement of the chain of bag pairs past said operating stations, the operations performed at such stations including the stripping away of the connecting tapes which are at an angle to the mouths of the bags, the reapplication of the connecting tapes so that they extend parallel to the mouths of the bags, the charging of the latter with a predetermined amount or weight of material, the closing of the bag mouths, the separation of the paired bags, and the sealing of the closed mouths of the loaded bags.

The invention resides not only in the general assembly of parts, but also in the details of construction and operation of different sections or units Which act in succession on the bags as they advance.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown only one of the various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts broken away, of one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts broken away, and partly in cross-section, taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the machine with parts broken away and partly in cross-section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on a larger scale, of a portion of the paired bag chain.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, of a loaded bag showing the tape along the mouth thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, partly in crosssection, of a loaded bag that has been sealed, and

Figs. '1 to 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating three steps in the sealing of the mouths of a pair of loaded bags.

Although various types of cams, gears and sprocket wheels or other mechanism may be employed for operating the constituent elements of the machine in timed relation, and there are many possible ways of driving them from a motor, or other source of power, a particularly desirable arrangement is shown in the drawings. adapted for use with a chain of bag pairs.

As shown, the bags 2l and 22 have opposed inverted pleats 23 and the bottoms of the bags are closed by folding over the lower end portion 24. The adjacent panels 25 of each pair of juxtaposed bags 2l, 22 near their upper open ends are adhesively secured together to form a bag pair, preferably by a reverse coated tab 26 shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 48,675, led September 10, 1948, although other means such as a spot of adhesive material could be used.

Desirably the bag pairs are spaced apart and connected preferably by two parallel longitudinal tapes 21 and 28 which extend at an angle to each of the bags substantially across the mouths thereof and adhesively secured respectively as at 29 to the cuter walls 3l of each of said bags.

Thus when the bag chain is rolled, the overlapping double thickness bag ends 24 will be superposed on one side of the roll, and the superposed tapes 21, 28 will be on the other side of the roll, and as the respective superposed portions will be substantially of the same thickness, a large quantity of bags may be collected on a single roll.

The bags may be of paper or similar material, in which case they are provided at their open ends with inwardly facing surfaces 32 formed of or coated with a sealing material which may be of non-tacky latex, which will seal upon closing of the mouth of the bag and the application of pressure thereto, or the facing surface may be in the form of strips of a heat and pressure responsive thermoplastic film extending along and around the inner surfaces of each bag at the mouth thereof, so that when heat and pressure are applied, the mouth of the bag will be closed and sealed.

It is to be noted that the making of the entire bag of non-porous material is preferred where the bags are to be lled with material which must be kept free from dirt, dust or moisture.

There are many types of materials that could be used for the tapes 2l and 28 which join the bag pairs 2| and 22 respectively. Thus, for example, if the bags as well as tapes are of paper, a coating of non-tacky latex could be applied to each which would only adhere when in contact, or if a thermoplastic bag was used, the tape could be of the type known as Scotch tape, which could readily be applied to the-bag.

Preferably, as illustratively shown herein, the tapes are of thermoplastic coated paper of the type put out by the Nashua Gummed and Coated Paper Company under the trade-marks Thermo-Kote or Thermo-Stix, which tapes are actuated by heat and applied under pressure.

The machine comprises a frame having a vertical central housing 4I substantially cylindrical in shape, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. Rising vertically in the center of said housing is a hollow standard 42 having a bearing 43 at the upper end thereof through which extends a vertical shaft 44, rotatably mounted in said standard. A horizontal worm gear 45 is positioned on said shaft immediately above said bearing 43 with the hub 46 of said gear 45 resting on the upper surface of bearing 43, said gear 45 being secured to shaft 44 by means of key 41 positioned in keyways 48, 49 on shaft 44 and gear 45 respectively.

Housing 4I has an opening 5I in the rear wall thereof substantially transversely aligned with horizontal gear 45 and a horizontal boss 52 is provided on one side of said opening, said boss 52 having a transverse bore 53 therethrough. Extending at one end as at 54, through said bore 53, is a horizontal drive shaft 55, supported near its other end 56 and extending through a bearing 51 on upright arm 58 rigid with a bracket 59 aflixed to the frame, the shaft 55 being driven by means of a motor M operatively connected to the end 6l of shaft 55 extending through bearing 51.

Aflixed at the end 54 of shaft 55 extending through bore 53 is a vertical spiral gear 62, the periphery of which extends through opening 5i in housing 4| and meshes with horizontal worm gear 45 to drive the latter. Also aflixed on drive shaft 55 are spaced vertical worm gears 63 and 64 which mesh with associated worm gears 65 and B6 axed respectively at the ends of inclined hollow shafts 61 and 68 tilted toward the front of the machine and rotatively supported near their respective ends in bearings 69 rigid D with bracket 59, said shafts each having a heating element 10 positioned in the bores thereof.

The upper ends of each of said shafts 61, 68 which protrude beyond the uppermost bearings 69, has a wheel 12 and 13 preferably of heat conducting material afxed thereon respectively. Each of said wheels has an annular groove 14 in the periphery thereof, and a plurality of equally spaced radially extending indexing pins 15 are positioned in the groove 14 in wheel 'i3 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

As it is desired that the peripheral distance traveled by wheels 12 and 13, which are of different size, be the same with each rotationv of main drive shaft 55, the ratio of gear 63 to gear 65 which drives the smaller wheel 12 is greater than the ratio of gear 64 to gear 68 which drives the larger wheel 13.

Associated with each of said wheels 12 and 15 respectively are horizontal take-up wheels 16, 15', each having a groove in the periphery thereof and rotatably mounted on a vertical stud 18 affixed to a slide 19 movable in a transverse track 8l, said slide being normally urged away from its associated wheel 12, 13 by a coil spring 82 positioned between the end of the track'and the slide.

As shown in Fig. 2, track 8l associated with wheel 13 is affixed to the frame at the right side thereof, and track 8l associated with wheel 12 is rigid with the Ywall of housing 4l, extending laterally therein, the housing `4| having an opening 83 therein, transversely aligned with takeup wheel 16.

Also associated with wheels 12, 13, and positioned adjacent the latter, are horizontal wheels 84 and 85 respectively, acting on the tapes 21 and 28 in the manner hereinafter set forth, transversely aligned with take-up wheels 16, 16 respectively, and rotatably mounted on vertical stud shafts 86 aiiixed to the frame.

Rigidly affixed on the frame over housing 4| is a fixed horizontal circular plate 9| through which protrudes the upper portion 90 of shaft 44. A rotatable horizontal circular table 92 is provided having an upstanding hollow hub 93, the lower end 94 of which rests on plate 9| with the upper end 90 of shaft 44 extending through the bore 95 of said hub. Table 92 is provided with radially extending strengthening ribs 96 and is secured to shaft 44 by means of keys 91 rigid with the inner wall of bore 95 of the hub and which extend laterally inward into keyway 98 of shaft 44. A nut 99 threaded on the upper end 90 of shaft 44 in a cavity l0| in hub 93 prevents vertical displacement of the table.

Positioned on the rim |02 of table 92 and extending laterally outward therefrom are a plurality of upstanding measuring pockets |03. The pockets desirably form two coaxial rings |04 and preferably integrally connected, girdling the rim |02 of the table 92 with adjacent pairs of pockets of rings |04 and |05 having their open bottom mouths |08 extending below the lower face of the table 92.

As shown in Fig. 2, an annular transverse slot |09 is provided in the bottom of the rings, extending outwardly from the rim |02 of the table 92 and beneath the latter, and in which is positioned an annular ring member affixed at its inner periphery to the rim I2 of the xed plate 9|. Ring member has a pair of parallel arcuate slots I3 therein extending substantially from midway between wheels 12 and 13 in a counterclockwise direction4 for a distance of approximately 90, which slots may be aligned respectively with the opened bottom mouths |08 of the measuring pockets of rings |04 and |05, and which comprise the bag filling station B.

The bottom portion of each of the rings |04, |05 beneath transverse slot |09 has a plurality of downwardly extending nozzles |4 rigid therewith and aligned respectively with the bottom mouths |08 of the measuring pockets |03. Each nozzle ||4 has a sleeve ||5 slidably mounted thereon and the associated pairs of sleeves are connected together as at ||6. One of the sleeves of each of said pairs, illustratively the sleeves on the inner ring |04 as shown in Fig. 2, has a lateral pin |`|1 at one side, operating in a groove I8 in the periphery of a stationary annular band or cam ||9. This cam ||9 is positioned beneath plate 9| and rigidly supported on the upper rim |2| of housing 4|, being axed thereto as by welding. The groove ||8 along almost its entire length is in a single horizontal plane so that sleeves ||5 will remain in their raised position. For a short distance along the length of the groove, desirably substantially 90 and substantially aligned with arcuate slots ||3, the groove makes a sharp dip so as to lower the sleeves ||5. Preferably the sleeves at their lower ends .have their outer surfaces tapered as at |22, so as to guide them into the bags to be filled in the manner hereinafter described.

Mounted on the frame of the machine midway between the ringsl04 and |05 of measuring pockets |03 is a curved track or rail |23. One end of ther track |23 is positioned midway between wheels 12 and 13 so as to be aligned with the connection 26 joining the inner faces of the bag pairs, the track thereupon following the curvature of the ring of measuring pockets midway therebetween, for a distance of approximately in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. l, at which time it extends in a straight line as at |24 to the bag pair separating station D at the other end of the track.

The separating station D comprises a knife blade |25 longitudinally aligned with the straight portion |24 of the track |23, rigidly affixed at the end thereof in the same plane therewith and extending above the latter as shown in Fig. 2. The blade |25 has an inclined cutting edge |26 against which the connected portion 26 of the bag pairs will abut when the bag pairs are moved thereagainst to be separated as hereinafter described.

Positioned beneath the track |23 and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the length of the upright bags 2|, 22, is a table |28 desirably of sheet metal or other rigid material affixed to the frame. The table |28 substantially follows the curved portion of track |23 in a counterclockwise direction to the bag mouth closing station C, at which point a horizontal conveyor belt |29 is provided, rotatably mounted on rollers |3| which are driven by suitable mechanism (not shown). The conveyor |29 extends beneath the straight portion |24 of track |23 and is longitudinally aligned at its ldischarge end with a discharge conveyor |33. The front end |34 of the table |28 which is positioned between wheels 12 and 13 has preferably integral therewith a downwardly inclined table |35 which extends forwardly of the machine, this table serving as a support for the chained bags as they are fed into the machine.

Also mounted on the frame on each side of the curved portion of the track |23 are arcuate brackets |31 and |38. Each of said brackets has a plurality of lateral bores |39 therein in which is slidably positioned a plunger |4| having a horizontal roller |42 rotatably mounted at the outer end thereof and normally urged toward said curved track by a coil spring |43 positioned in said bore against the end thereof and the end of said plunger. Suitable means (not shown) are provided to retain plungers |4| in their respective bores.

The bag mouth closing station C comprises two sets of rollers, each illustratively having four horizontal rollers designated |44, |45, |46 and |41, the sets being respectively positioned on each side of the straight portion |24 of the track |23. As shown in Fig. l, each of the rollers is rotatably mounted on an upstanding stud |48 affixed in a slide |49 movable in a track |5| rigid with the frame and extending transversely of the straight portion |24. By means of suitable means such as coil springs |52 positioned between the end of the track and the associated slide, rollers |44, |45, and |41 are normally urged toward the track, and roller |46 is urged away from the track. Each set of rollers has an endless belt |53 therearound, and one of the rollers, i. e., illustratively roller |41, is driven by a suitable transmission (not shown) Means are provided to 'bring the mouth walls of the paired bags toward each other respectively and to fold the tapes 21, 28 aflixed to each of the bags respectively over said bag mouths.

These means desirably comprise a substantially plow shaped wedge I6I positioned `over the straight portion |24 of track |23 and rigid` with the frame, the leading edge |62 of said wedge being aligned with said straight portion |24 of the track |23 and in the path of movement of the portion of said bags above connector piece 26. As shown in Fig. 1, the side walls |63 of the wedge member IGI taper outwardly away from track |23 toward the leading edge of tape folding members |64. These members, which are desirably heated by any suitable means (not shown) are positioned respectively on each side of the straight portion |24 of the track |23. Each member comprises a horizontal base I 65 aflixed to the frame, having an upstanding wall |66 on the inner edge thereof with the belt |53 being positioned on the outer face of said wall |66. The leading edge of wall |66 is vertical, as is clearly shown in Fig. 7, and the wall thereupon gradually bends inwardly toward the track as shown in Fig. 8 until, as shown in Fig. 9, the wall |56 is reversely bent over the bag mouth.

Positioned adjacent rollers |41 at the discharge end of the machine is the bag mouth sealing station E, which comprises a pair of rollers |54 each desirably having a layer |55 of soft rubber on the periphery thereof, with such peripheries in relatively close proximity, and heated in any suitable manner, said rollers |54 being driven by a suitable transmission (not shown) through vertical shafts |51 connected thereto respectively.

Operation The operator when setting up the machine for operation unrolls a length of the chain of bags from the roll (not shown). Desirably the portion of the tapes 21, 28 at the beginning of the chain has no bags affixed thereto. The tape 28 is positioned in the groove 14 in Wheel 13 with indexing pin 15 in an opening |85 in the tape, and tape 21 is positioned in the groove 14 in wheel 12. The portions of the tapes 21, 28 which have no bags thereon are thereupon twisted and passed around wheels i6, i6', respectively, with the tacky portion of the tapes facing outwardly, and then passed around wheels 84 and 85 respectively so that the tacky portions of the tapes face each other.

The tapes are then passed between rollers |42 at the ends of plungers Mi between the two sets of rollers on each side of the straight portion |24 of the track and then between rollers |54, the peripheries of which are adjacent each other and hence will grip the tapes therebetween.

With the measuring pockets E63 filled with material through hoppers H positioned thereabove, motor M, which will rotate continuously, is thereupon turned on to begin the automatic operation of the machine, which is as follows:

Rotation of motor M and shaft 55 driven thereby in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 3, will rotate bevel gears 63 and 64 in a clockwise direction to drive meshed beveled gears 55 and 66, shafts 61, 68, and wheels 12, 13 thereon respectively in a counterclockwise and clockwise direction. At the same time as motor M rotates, rollers |54 will be pulling on the tapes therebetween, the indexing pins l in the openings |35 in tape 2B in the space between the bags insuring proper indexing of the latter as they are pulled off the roll (not shown) at an angle of approximately 45 to the bag mouth opening station A.

It is to be noted that with an indexing pin 15 s in an opening |00 in the tape 28, the mouths of a pair of bags 2|, y22 at station A will be directly below the sleeves H5 of a pair of associated measuring pockets |03, and by reason of the fact that the tapes are pulled apart and spaced from each other when positioned around wheels 12 and 13, the mouths of the lpaired bags will be pulled open so that as the bags are lifted the mouths thereof will respectively straddle the sleeves II5, the tapering ends |22 thereof aiding in the positioning of the bag mouths thereover.

With bags 2| and 22 at station A, the heated wheels 12 and 13 will actuate the thermoplastic spot seal 29 joining the bags to the tapes 21 and 28 respectively to render such seal tacky. At the same time as the wheels 12, 13 rotate, spiral gear 62 on shaft 55 which meshes with gear 45 on shaft 44 will rotate the latter and table 92 thereon in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. l, so that the `measuring pockets |63 and associated nozzles and sleeves will move from station A to the filling station B.

As the sleeves are inside the bags, as they move in a counterclockwise direction they will move a pair of bags from station A to station B. During the course of such movement they will pull on the bags at the reactivated and tacky spot seal 2i). Inasmuch as at the same time the tapes 22 and 28 are being pulled away from the bags which are held in place by the sleeve by reason of the arrangement of wheels 12, 13, 16, and 16', the tapes will be peeled from the bags as they are slid onto the track |23 which is positioned under the connector 26 joining the opposed inner walls 25 of the bags with the bags straddling the track. During the course of the movement of such bags the bottoms thereof will be moved onto table |26 which supports the bags as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time the outer walls of the mouths of the bags which are moving in a horizontal plane, Will be pressed against the activated tacky faces of the now horizontal portion of the tapes 21, 28, which by reason of the position of roller 84, 85, will press such tapes against the bag mouths and apply pressure thereto, so that the tapes will be securely aixed to such mouths parallel thereto, as shown in Fig. 5, with approximately one-half the width of the tape below the bag mouths and one-half above the bag mouths.

With the bags at station B, the open mouths |68 of the measurig pockets |63 of rings |04, |05, will be aligned respectively with the beginning of the pair of arcuate slots II3 in annular ring II I, thereby allowing the material in the pockets to flow into the bags. `Continuous movement of the table 92 and the tapes 21, 28, advances the pair of bags through filling station B to the bag closing station C, to which position the arcuate slots II3 extend, thereby iilling the paired bags.

As the paired bags move through the lling station B, the rollers |42 will press against the tapes 21 and 28, thereby to prevent the bag mouths from opening too much as the bags are being filled.

When the loaded bags leave the filling station B and enter the bag closing station C, the bottoms thereof ride off the end of the table |28 onto moving conveyor belt |29 which is moving in timed relation with table 52, and at the same time pin II1 rides up the inclined portion of cam I I9 to withdraw the nozzles I I5 from the bags.

Belts |53 around rollers |44, |45, |46 and |41,

are moved in timed relation with conveyor belt |29 and are aligned respectively with tapes 21 and 2B. As the bags are moved through station C to the bag pair separating station D, the inner walls 25 of the mouths thereof will abut against the walls |63 of fixed wedge ISI. Thus, as the bags advance, the mouths of the respective bags will be moved toward each other until, as shown in Fig. 7, they are pressed by said wall |63 against the vertical portion of wall |66 of the tape folding member |64. As the bags are advanced further, as shown in Fig. 8, the curved portion of the wall |66 will start to fold the tapes 21, 28 over the respective bag mouths until, as shown in Fig. 9, the tape will be completely folded over such mouths. As the tape folding members are desirably heated as heretofore described, the thermoplastic faces of the tapes will consequently be activated. Further movement of the paired bags will cause the inclined knife edge |26 to abut against the connector 26 and cut therethrough to separate the paired bags.

As the mouths of the bags are tightly cornpressed at such time between rollers |41 which are resiliently urged toward each other by tensed compression springs |52, the bags are retained in upright position, and as the closed mouths thereof pass between heated rollers |54 of the sealing station E, the tapes 21, 28, and the adhesive facing on the inner surface of the bag mouths will be heated and further activated so that the bag mouths become tightly sealed, as shown in Fig. 6.

As the bags are moved beyond roller |54 they will move onto discharge conveyor |33 from which they may readily be removed.

If desired, the bags on each tape 2l, 28, may be separated or the bags may be packed in chains of any desired length.

It is also within the scope of this invention to dispense with the heating elements 16 and the heating of rollers |54 and tape folding members |64 entirely, and use self-stick material for the mouths of the bags and the tape. This self-stick material requires only pressure for sealing, and the tape thus coated also may readily be peeled off a correspondingly coated area on the bag in the same manner as previously described with respect to the activated thermoplastic tape.

'Ihe machine herein described can operate for many hours without supervision, at a relatively high rate of speed, requiring as it does, only an adequate supply of material and bags. As there are but relativelyr few operating parts, none of which is delicate or apt to become out of order, the possibility of breakdown is remote, thus increasing the efficiency and likewise the output of the machine.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall Ibe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said machine having mounted thereon means for filling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of the bag means and feeding the tapesand bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the lling means, said engaging means including means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means While the sides of the bag means are spaced apart, and means to move the bag means from the filling means.

2. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said machine having mounted thereon means for filling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of the bag means and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the filling means, said engaging means including means to space the .bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart, means to remove the tapes from the bag means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means, and means to move the bag means from the filling means.

3. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair` of tapes one on each ofthe outer faces of said bag means, said machine havingV mounted thereon means for filling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of the bag means and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the dlrection of the filling means, said engaging means including means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart, means to move the bag means away from the filling means in a horizontal direction, means to remove the tapes from the bag means at the filling means, and means to reapply the tapes to the bag means with the tapes extending in a horizontal direction.

4. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said machine having mounted thereon means for lling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of theY bag means and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the lling means, said engaging means including means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the side of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bagY means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart, means to move the bag means away 'from the filling meansl in a horizontal direction, means to remove the tapes from the bag means at the filling means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means with the tapes extending in a horizontal direction andl extending above the tops of the bag means, and means to turn over the tapes to seal the tops of the bag means therewith.

5. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said machine having mounted thereon means for filling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of the bag means and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the lling means, said engaging means including means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart, means to move the bag means away from the filling means in a horizontal direction, means to remove the tapes from the bag means at the filling means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means with the tapes extending in a horizontal direction and extending above the tops of the bag means, means to subject the tapes to continued pressure against the bags, and means to turn over the tapes to seal the tops of the bag means therewith.

6. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of the tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said mechanism comprising a rotatable table, means on the table to lill the bag means, means on opposite sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes, means to actuate the tape engaging means to feed the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the filling means to space the bag means beneath the lling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the .bag means, and means to move the bag means with the rotatable table.

7. A machine for filling prefabricate-:l bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer face of said bag means, said mechanism comprising a rotatable table, means on the table to fill the bag means, means on opposite sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes, means to actuate the tape engaging means to feed the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the filling means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to remove the tapes from the bag means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means in a horizontal position, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means, and means to move the bag means with the rotatable table.

8. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said mechanism comprising a rotatable table, means on the table to fill the bag means, means spaced on the inner and outer sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes, means to actuate the tape engaging means to feed the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the `vertical in the direction of the filling means to space the bag means beneath the nlling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to direct the tapes away from the tape engaging means and the bag means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means in a horizontal position, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means, and means to move the bag means with the rotatable table.

9. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means` connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said mechanism comprising a rotatn able table, means on the table to fill the bag means, means spaced radially inwardly and outwardlyy of thev filling means for engaging the tapes, means tol actuate the tape engaging means to feed the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the llng means to space the lbag means beneath the'iillng means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to direct the tapes away from the tape engaging means and the bag means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means in a horizontal position, said last named means driving the tape from the radially outer tape engaging means at a greater speed than that of the tape from the radially inward tape engaging means, means to move the bag means with the rotatable table, and means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means during travel of the latter with the table.

10. Mechanism for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each side of the outer faces of said bag means and lying at angles to the sides and ends of the bag means, said mechanism comprising a machine having a means thereon for filling bags, means spaced upon opposite sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes and advancing them with the bags upwardly and forwardly to the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart beneath the filling means, means for driving the tape engaging means, and means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart.

ll. A machine for iilling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said mechanism comprising a rotatable table, means on the table to ll the bag means, rollers journaled on the inner and outer sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the lling means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, means to direct the tapes away from the rollers and bag means, means to reapply the tapes to the bag means in a horizontal position, means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag means, and means to move the bag means with the rotatable table.

l2. Mechanism for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a pair of tapes one on each side of the outer faces of said bag means and lying at angles to the sides and ends of the bag means. said mechanism comprising a machine having a means thereon for lling K bags, rollers journaled on the inner and outer sides of the filling means for engaging the tapes and advancing them with the bags upwardly and forwardly to the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart beneath the lling means, means for driving the tape engaging means, and means to cause the lling means to introduce material into the bag means while the sides of the bag means are spaced apart.

13. A machine for filling prefabricated bag means connected together in a chain by a lpair of tapes one on each of the outer faces of said bag means, said machine having mounted thereon means for filling bags, means for engaging continuous tapes secured to the outer faces of the bag means and feeding the tapes and bags upwardly and at an angle to the vertical in the direction of the filling means, said engaging means including means to space the bag means beneath the filling means with the sides of the bag means spaced apart, and means to cause the filling means to introduce material into the bag 13 means while the sides of the bag means are Number spaced apart. 2,362,462 CLARENCE W. VOGT. 2,410,834 2,463,085 References Cited in the le of this patent 5 2,490,940

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Number 1,058,747 Hoepner Apr. 15, 1913 543,354, 2,037,200 Rosmat Apr, 14, 1936 10 Name Date Belcher et a1 Nov. 14, 1944 Messmer Nov. 12, 1946 Byberg Mar. 1, 1949 Barker Dec. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Cquntry Date Great' Britain Feb. 23, 1942 

